⚖️ Thomas Massie files 8 impeachment articles on Pete Hegseth

Rep. Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor on Monday, Nov. 9, the first day of House business after the midterm elections, according to ABC News and AP. ABC reports that Massie read all eight aloud, speaking for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. NPR reports the filing sets up a House vote within two days.

Who says what

According to The New Republic, the eight counts are: three of waging war on Iran without congressional authorization; ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties; conducting extrajudicial killings through U.S. strikes on so-called "drug boats"; suppressing free speech by targeting Sen. Mark Kelly's criticism of U.S. military policy; the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without constitutional or legal authority; and waging war on Yemen without congressional authorization. AP says the resolution largely focuses on Iran, and quotes Massie as saying Hegseth "knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders" and "remains a threat to the Constitution."

"The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times."

Rep. Thomas Massie, in an X post quoted by The New Republic

Massie told reporters, per ABC News, "If this were in a courtroom, we wouldn't need witnesses. We wouldn't need to provide evidence." These are a lawmaker's allegations in a resolution, not findings by any body. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he is a "hard yes," per The New Republic and ABC News.

How the privileged-resolution process works

ABC News explains that impeachment is a privileged matter in the House, meaning the chamber must take it up within two legislative days, whatever the Speaker prefers. That forces Republicans onto the record. A simple majority passes it, and ABC counts that as three Republicans voting with all Democrats. GOP leaders could instead offer a motion to table, which also needs a simple majority, ABC says. Conviction in the Senate would need two-thirds, which NPR and ABC both describe as unlikely to be met.

The maneuver has been tried before. NPR reports Massie first sought a vote before the midterms, and Speaker Mike Johnson called an early recess, which let the resolution expire. That is why Massie reintroduced it on Monday. The New Republic reports Johnson canceled votes in September until after the elections because he lacked the votes to defeat it.

The response

In a video posted last Thursday, Hegseth called it "sham articles of impeachment" from "a disgruntled, defeated congressman," per ABC News, and said, per NPR, "Didn't work against President Trump and it won't work with me." On Monday he told a reporter, "We're not worried about that," ABC reports. Massie answered, per NPR: "I'm a defeated congressman. I'm not disgruntled."

Trump told reporters on Monday, "I'll stand by him. He won two wars," per NPR and ABC News. The New Republic separately reports that Trump told Fox News on Sunday that Hegseth was "one of the guys that was most responsible" for the Iran war. Retiring Rep. Don Bacon said he is weighing the vote and is "not very sympathetic to those articles," though other Hegseth conduct concerns him, per The New Republic. Rep. Warren Davidson told NPR impeachment would be "a mistake."

What happens next

Per ABC News, the House must take up the measure within two legislative days, and Hegseth announced a press conference at the Pentagon for Tuesday, his first since May. What he will say, and whether leaders try to table the resolution, is not in the reports read. ABC says it is unclear whether the effort will succeed, and Massie told ABC he is confident enough Republicans will defect.

Backstory

The Atlantic reported last month that the House has impeached only two Cabinet secretaries, William Belknap in 1876 and Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024, and the Senate convicted neither. Democrats got there first on paper: the Denver Gazette reports Rep. Yassamin Ansari and House Democrats filed six articles against Hegseth in April over the war and the boat strikes. The ledger on the war's bill is public: ABC News reported in April that the Pentagon comptroller testified it had cost $25 billion so far. Massie, who lost his primary after Trump endorsed his opponent, per ABC, leaves Congress in January.

As of Nov 10, 6:20 AM ET, here is where it stands, says MissFortune. Confirmed: Massie read eight articles on Monday, the privileged clock is running, Hegseth rejects the charges and Trump says he will stand by him. Pending: whether the House votes on impeachment or tables it, how many Republicans cross over, and what Hegseth says at Tuesday's press conference. No result was in the reports read.